MTY-FIFTH M¥ TEAP/SSSRMGN 






s5 



DISCOURSE 






fEEACHED IN GRANYULE. OHIO,! 



i 



FIRST SABBATH OF JANUARY, 1862, ^l 



BT REV, JACOB LITTLE, 

fiflTOR OK TAR OOJjrfKEGATIONAr; rSESBYTEJUAN CHURCH, 



GRANVILLE: 

.!. E, WYGHE & CO., PBINTERS, 

1852. 



TWEmY~SWm M¥ TEiiR'S SM'I 
PEEACHEK IN GBANVILLE, OHIO, 

ON THE 

FIRST SABBATH OF JANUARY, 1852; 

BY BEV. JACOB LITTLE, 

?ASTOJl OV THE CONGREGATIONAL PUESEYTERIAN CHORCH. 



FORENOON. 



FSALM LXXVII, 10. 

J will remember the years of the right hand of the Mod 
High, 

Early superstition connected the right with prosperity and 
the left with adversity. Birds, and especially eagles seen 
on the right, denoted successful battles, journeys and other 
undertakings. This superstition, entering into the formation, 
of language, gave definition to words and meaning to signs. 
When Joseph brought his two sons to receive the blessing 
of his dying father, he placed the elder on the right. But 
the Patriarch signified the greater future superiority of the 
younger by placing on him The right hand. Sitting, stand- 
ing, walking and riding at the right hand were regarded as 
favor and honor. " Years of the right hand of the Most 
High" were years which God peculiarly blessed. The 
writer of the text, in deep affliction, says, " I am so troubled 
that I cannot speak. Will the Lord cast ofi" forever? Will 
he be favorable no more? Hath he in anger shut up his 
tender mercies? And I said, this is my infirmity: but I will 
remember the years of the right hand of the Most High, I 
will remember the works of the Lord." Recalling former 
favors in the day of adversity will assuage sorrow, prevent 
despair and prepare for future blessings. In the day of luke- 
warmness, it is profitable to reviev/ revival scenes. Next to 

Price, 10 cents,— 45 cents for five— One dollar per dozen. 
Postage. One cent any dislaiice under 500 miles. 



f 



i'ORENOON. 



geeiiig and hearing from friends is to think over their visits. 
While these annual sermons have been a record of facts, 
reporting vice as well as virtue, I have particularly described 
the nine revivals of religion which have occurred in the last 
twenty-four years. We should remember these nine "years 
of tfe:e right hand of the Most High." This will make it 
secessary to shorten the account usually given of the world, 
nation, state and county. 



THE WOKLD 



Has completed the first year of the second half of the nine- 
teenth century. The first half brought into existence the 
application of steam to machinery, the steamboat, the rail 
road, telegraph, power-press, gas-light, daguerreotype, gun- 
cotton, chloroform, and the knowledge of new planets. 
That fifty years achieved as much for the moral world by 
the advance of education, toleration and benevolent institu- 
tions. This half century bids fair to do even more for the 
natural and moral interests of mankind. 

The great "myrtery of iniquity" has missions all over 
the world without translating the Bible abroad, or allowing 
people to read it at home. A traveller says, " Not one to 
fifty can read in the country round Rome." The Pope has 
ordered " that whosoever is found guilty of bringing into 
Eome, or trying to carry into Rome, any copy of the word 
of God in the Italian language, he sha\} be sent to the gal- 
lies for four years." " He has promised three hundred days 
of indulgence to those who will pray for the conversion of 
England and her return ta the Holy Mother Church." At 
war with this power and other forms of heathenism, there 
are nearly 3000 protestant foreign missionaries whose 
churches embrace 333,000 communicants. The papal paper 
of New York says, " while we are making a great noise 
about a few converts comi'ig into the church, there are 
thousands upon thousands leaving it." Their religion is 
starving a portion of Ireland out of popery. No liquors 
being allowed at the World's Fair, increasing openings 
and calls for missionaries and other things, show that the 
moral aspects of the world are brightening. 

THE UNITED STATES, 

According to the late census, numbers 23,267,498; of 
whom 13,000,000 are in the free states, 6,000,000 are ii^ 
slave states, and 3,000,000 are slaves. President Everett 
says our intemperance anpually costs 120,000,000, burns 
5,000,000, destroys 30,000 lives, sends 15,000 to priso^n, 
100,000 children to the poor-house, causes 150 murders, 2.Qft 
suicides and bequeathes to the country 100,000 orphans. 
The church spends more for tobacco than for benevolent 
objects. The IMaine temperance law now takes the lead. 



FORENOON. 



The complaint of three citizens procures the search warrant 
to find liquor, destroy it and fine the owner $20 and costs. 
He cannot appeal short of $200 bonds and can collect no 
liquor debt. Bail of |600 is required of those appointed to 
sell for lawful purposes. The New Hampshire law forbids 
the manufacture, sale and the collection of liquor debts by 
creditors living without the state. Sabbath steamboat disas- 
ters have been numerous the past year. In one period of 
five Sabbaths, five boats sent into eternity about one hundred 
souls. The extension of rail roads lessens Sabbath dese- 
cration. 1851 has completed the Erie road, uniting the 
Atlantic with the lakes; and though it has cost as much as 
six months of the Mexican war, it is worth all it cost to the 
Sabbath. Slavery is more discussed and there is more re- 
corded testimony against it in the New School Assembly 
than in any large body in the land. Hence the New School 
have not 1.5,000 southern members, while the Old School 
have about 70,000. The Old School majority is mostly 
from the south. The 1S50 census and the fugitive law 
prove that few slaves are deserting, and pro-slavery feels tri- 
umphant. There are in our country; 

120 Colleges, with 917 Teachers and 10,672 Students. 
42TheoL Sem. withllS " and 1,315 " 

12 Law Sch'ls, with 23 " and 434 " 

36 Medical " with 230 " and 4,564 «« 

Professor Park says there is annually preached in the Uuited 
States an amount, which, if published, would make 120,- 
000,000 octavo pages. The American Home Missionary 
Society has received in its past year |150,940 and em- 
ployed 1,065 missionaries who have enjoyed 77 revivals of 
religion and received 6,678 members. 43 mission churches, 
in 1851, and (in 25 years,) 800, have become able to support 
their own ministers. The American Board have received 
$274,902— In 40 years, 15,500,000 and added to the church 
35,000; making them cost $150 each. The expense dimin- 
ishing, each reception the past year, cost |130. No slave- 
holder has been received to their Indian churches during the 
last seven years. 

THE STATE OF OHIO 

Has 12,297 common schools, taught by 7,924 male, and 
5,168 female teachers. The new constitution was adopted 
by a majority of 1,600 and the no license article by a ma- 
jority of 8,984. 

LICKING COUNTY 

Has 402 common schools, tauglit bj 217 male, and 180 
female teachers. It was supplied with the Bible in 1849, 
and the western half with the publications of the Tract 
Society in 1850 and 1851. Mr. Swift has succeeded Mr. 



4 rORKNOOK. 

Beaoii at Homer. Mr. Spclnian, Mr, Rose at Alexandria, 
Mr. Rose has gone to Locke and McKean is vacant. Hart- 
ford has dismissed her fifth Oberlin minister. The_y had 
our articles of faith and are the only church the county 
has lost by Oberlin. Some years ago they joined an 
Oberlin association and adopted a drop practice. On the 
24th of last May, they voted "^ to erase the clause in article 
VII, 'that God at first created man in a state of rectitude 
and holiness,' 'to exclude entire the X and XI,' which are 
the articles on election and saints perseverance, and ended 
with our last article, thus, "the last article deemed expedient 
to revise is the XVI, by striking 'out the middle clause," 
which asserts " that believers in regular church stand- 
ing only, can consistently partake of the Lord's Supper." 
The sixth, of their resolutions, passed June 14th, reads: 
" Resolved, That we will receive to our fellowship and 
communion as members of the church persons who give 
evidence that they are true christians, although they cannot 
conscientiously subscribe to the doctrines set forth in our 
articles of faith." In this reduction of the articles to a 
level with Oberlin, the boldest stroke is, striking out the 
tenth article, which is almest word for word a passage of 
scripture. 

GRANVILLE TOWNSHIP 

Has been settled and our church organized 46 years, of 
which twelve have been "years of the right hand of the 
Most High." With such a year, we have commenced this 
half century. When I became your Pastor, we had leading 
opposers whose iriiiuence v,'as suflicient to hold together a 
clique of men and boys to act against every advance in 
spiritual religion. The providence of God and converting 
grace had not entirely annihilated this opposition, before the 
church was exposed to another evil. For 17 years, aliena- 
tion arising from discussing slavery, has prevented, shortened 
or limited revivals of religion. The good work of 1837 
added to the church 82 young persons, who were hardly 
received before there was a return to the bone of contention. 
The revivals of 1840, '43 and '47 added 28, 44 and 23, 
mostly youth. Only, a portion of the church sympathized 
with these refreshings from on High. Some contended with 
a bitter spirit that the church would not and could not be 
bfessed till it took diiierent ground on the subject of slavery, 
and in this way committed themselves ag;unst revivals. 
Tim.e, removals, discipline and desertion to other sects have 
worn away the asperity of the quarrel. The great majority 
of the members have ever held firmly to the doctrines of the 
church, and no appliances could either draw, or drive them 
from iheir covenant, with God and his neople. While the 



Mexican war atni ili;: i^A^.u-sl^^u ^z: C:^}]'\:.':,].>, ,^i.In under 
discussion, ihe [;' -,i.>l vvidi 

politics to leave r; ;li:i';^s so 

diverted and tiai, '■ ^ ' - 

three only %Aere r. ^ , - .' 

none; and by gradual ditiunuiioi; ;'"rlcd to 

Presbytery last spring but 312. lii; of tlie 

Congress of 1850 so lar gave a quic rus lo quejU; ns oi' public 
interest that by the connnencement of 1851, very lew in 
the church were angry or excited on questions of slavery or 
politics. The temple of Janus was shut, and the way was 
prepared foi: the coming of the Lord. For four years, in- 
temperance had been on the increase till the eilorts against 
licenses in 1860 caused the lide of liquid lire to ebb. The 
last half of that year, a colporteur of the Tract Society re- 
sided among us, whose books and visits produced a salutary 
influence. In September, I returned from a visit to the 
east with peculiar feelings. Ti'.e associates of my youth 
had gone to the grave, or ( . ^ . \ the rose and lily to 

wrinkles and gray hairs. 1:: on taught what might 

be e:\pected from the lapse I vv^as shocked at the 

ravages made by advaucii\; - death and most sol- 

emnlj felt that J too was ];:,., .. , .. .^ay. I went into the 
grave-yard where two centuries oi our family sleep, into 
the church where my grand-p-arents publicly gave dieir 
hearts to God, and into its vault where I saw the bones of 
Whitefield.. I took up his clean white skull and said to 
snyself, what thougiits once burned in this hollo-vv form? I 
put my hands on his arms and chest and thought of the 
emotions and bursts of feeling which then raised and shook 
these bones. Has eighty years brought the great Whitefield 
down to this? Is he:- ' ! : :,-::oi:i of such a man? 
No; this church and tf . :: c :, ; egations are his 

remains. Thougli tiic . c j-^ powerless and so 

very dry, he who onLe , ;:: still lives and Vvdll 

never die. He not onf, .- . .^ _.: /. lHj but he lives in the 

piety and sound theology of the ccrnitry. \?ith imagination 
full of what met my eyes in the •.aair, I v/alked a ndle and 
reflected. How soon will what I have seen, be all which 
will remain of me! i nn:>t g^"^ xo n:y account and there 
meet my people. lij i ious monument to his 

memory, a monument , _:id the test of time. 

But what have I d ;/.^ . gut of iny responsibility 

and how late it v : ** '.ve and do what ought to 

have been don?.: -. •■- [-'■-''■] --ri my tears 

flowed. I pas::cd ing scenes, 

which made me i:;.;... ...... d.^.. ,•,>._ .._....., . ; o::ert myself 

for the salvation of soq!s till I go hence to be here no more. 
On mv return home, a portion of the people were alarmed. 



O FO -HE NO ON. 

because ihe congregation appeared to be declining. The 
fast on the first iMonday of January was Vvell attended on 
both parts ol' the day, and so were the church inquiry maet- 
ings through the week. The brethren manifested a better 
state of feeling than usual, and three persons were present at 
the inquiry meeting for the impenitent. From this time tili 
May, i wrote bat one sermon. In January, I visited 100 &f 
our families and fcund feeling enough among scattered indi- 
viduals to amount to a revival, if it could be brought to- 
gether, and saw nothing in the way but our delay in carry- 
ing out certain cases of discipline. The Methodists held a 
quarterly meeting and the Baptists a series of meetings 
whicii had their influence in awakening the community. 
While my mind was thus exercised in New England, the 
husband of one of our me;nbers was awakened and on the 
11th of August attended public worship, which he has not 
since deserted. The iirst Sabbath after my return, he came 
into the broad aisle and preseiited to God two children in 
baptism. His distress continued, and peace did not break 
into his mind till the first Sabbath of February. Another 
man changed his manner of life and entered upon public 
and family worship. While these things were calling up 
the attention of the community and the church vrere per-- 
forming the duty of discipline, Eev. Mr. Chidlavv^," an 
agent of the American Sunday School Union came and 
touk up his subscription on Sabbath, the ninth of February. 
He preached in the evening and again on Iilonday evening- 
when the collectors brought in tiie amount subscribed. The 
audience increasing, he remained till he hnd preached nine 
eveiiings. I followed him nine e\-enings, and Mr. Kings- 
bury five, when I went into the pulj it again and continued 
until we had preached about forty evenings in succession. 
For about two weeks, we lield very interesting social meet- 
ings every aftern^^on. Among the thrilling incidents of those 
exercises was one founded on the dying words of Wilber- 
force. One of the members about eighty years of age, with 
sunken eye and trembling voice rose and said that his mem- 
cry had so faded that he should forget what he was going 
to say, that he could not remember names and that he had 
lost the nam.es of one half of the churcli. lie then added 
with all the emphasis thai liis frail frame would admit, 
" but one name 1 never forget — (he name of m.y Savior." 
This was said' in such a manner and to pn audience so full 
of emotion, that it moved the v.diole Tiouse. For a time, 
there was preaching in Ibur ciiuiches every evening. There 
was such a disposition to attend v^^orship that Ihe Pastoi's 
could not have prevented their assendjling. Darkness, mud 
and storms could not hinder people from almost universally 
turning out at the sound of the bell. Within two miles of 



FORENOON. / 

town the church were nearly all avrakoued. Not a few 
parents were oliering tiie }ira)-cr of Penuel i"or their children 
and some nearly exhausted themselves in bearing the case of 
a son or a daughter before the Lord. These agonizing peti- 
tions did not long remain unanswered. Most of the male 
members rose in tiie social meelirgs, made confession, gave 
their testimony in i'avor of religion, and raeltiiagly invited 
sinners to repentance. Indiviclaals went to houses, shops 
and every where to invite siniiers to the gospel feast. Almost, 
if not quite every body in town, was accessible on the sub- 
ject of religion and v.'ould give it a respectful hearing. The 
great mass was melted. I'here was caution rgiinst hurting 
feelings, harm.ony, weeping, joy and gratitude. For a month, 
the things of earth sunk to their proper level; and the things 
of heaven were indeed a reality and rose to the rank which 
God has given them. There was not only stillness, solem- 
nity and riveted attention in the house of God, but religion 
was the meat and drink of men everywhere. It was the all 
absorbing subject of conversation in taverns, stores and side- 
walks. Not only young converts were intensely engaged, 
but those who had walked with God half a century found 
their minds delightfully and enchantingly wrapt in spiritual 
tilings. When duty called them to their secular avocations, 
they felt lost and repeatedly found themselves engaged in 
prayer. Their minds, instead of being inclined to wander 
from spiritual things to temporal, unconsciously passed from 
secubr thoughts to devotion. They, who in the day of 
declension, had attended social meetings and did other things 
to keep the coals alive on the altar, now shone with pecul- 
iar lustre, and nearly all were so ready to aid our social ser- 
vices that it was often difficult to fnid a place to stop at a 
seasonable hour-. Here and there a person had got waked 
up to great seal and self-confidence without being broken 
down for his sins, or seeming to see his own faults. To 
guard against strange fire and a spurious work, the peo- 
ple were shown the appropriate means of genuine revivals. 
Several of the most interesting meetings were commenced 
by reading accounts of awakenings under the labors of the 
Apostles, Edv/ards, Grifiin, Nettleton and the fathers of this 
church. The protracted meeting began Sabbath Feb. 9th. 
Feb. 12th, the fourth evening, I invited all such as w^ere de- 
termined 7101V to seek an interest in Christ, to remain to 
inquiry meeting. One remained. Saturday, February 16, 
the seventh evening, twelve remained — one having a hope. 
After this, inquiry meetings were held every evening. The 
second Sabbath, Feb. 16, forty-seven remained — two having 
hopes. The third Sabbath, Februar^y 23, the fifteenth eve- 
ning, one hundred and twenty remained — fifty-five having 
hopes. The fourth SabbalLi, ]\Iarch 2, the tv/enty-second 



o FOIiKNOON. 

evenin-;. " ' .; and thirty-siv rcinained — sixt}'-nin« 

^ia\in- : ■ havinji no hopes and twelve children. 

Beix)re cij iHLn ,,;,lv:-" "— s ^\ ■]. hventy-ninth eve- 
ning, a hope meeting ■, - those that eve- 
ning in the ^m--:-- ■ .^ -. Thursday^ 
March 1^, :: . ' : :;cr3 without 
hope \vc;e : folIo\Ying 
evenir: ■ :^_ ; now been 
occu:-;'; P • p^^:''; scholars 
?■■■- : .li one hundifcd and thirty. 
^- "'-:,': ho began to hope that 
'^eek : - . It ^vas feared that a 
comiiic: :3 would scmewhere 
orr-:: ; v/ork which was so 
h '• p. One woman said 
' skij .[■.,......_ ., , that another day had 

passed M'idr ■: iode oi' baptism. A hearer 

gave as a If. - . .;.e audiences, that Thursday 

ev , iiil ten minutes before ten, that 

ti;-' : :■ cermon vras introduced. The 

next babbaih, a ihiiu oi oe. ' school and a greater 

number of ci'irren-^ l!ian ev^r -nt down to the" creek 

to see the i: ranvilie Intelligencer 

gave as a i he mode of baptism, 

that the "s:i: ^ec^, ii^:; ble discussion of late 

in this tov.n." Tlie v. y turned ofi' from thfe 

greatm-^" :• -^ -;-■ • . _l ^un .eision. Within three. 

days, r .3 on the side-waLks and othei* 

public p. ,..._, ^_, : ■ ■•^I'^-ation giving way to secu- 

lar, and solemnit:, ; :■ minioters went into the 

pulpit and like £e ■ . ; loclis v/ere shorn, tried to ' 

"shake themselves as at cihcr times before." But the spirit 
v/as gone and tjjey ccidd no longer see the tear of convic- 
tion and the smile of conversion. Some for a time preached 
and gave thanks as tho'jgh the good work was still in pro- 
gress, but declining inrerest and audiences soon exhibited 
the folly of such pretensions. The shock was most disas- 
trous to those under conviction and those with trembling 
hopes. After the l3th of March, I heard of no conversions 
in town and very few out of it. The Monday evening fol- 
lowing the first immersions, our inquiry meeting was down 
to nine persons. V/hen this stop to the work took place, 
there were souls in a position which they will never again 
occupy. They were anxious, in jeopardy, and as it were 
suspended between heaven and hell — almost ready to make ' 
the surrender: and yet expo^ed to be diverted by anything 
which should call off attention from the point in hand. At 
such a time, how important for all to turn neither to the 
right nor the left; but keep an unv/avering eye on the great 



FORENOON. y 

bbject before them. When I saw the public mind was di- 
verted, I did not discuss the mode of baptism; but among 
other things, read the following from the history of the re- 
vival of 1828 to call back the atttention to the salvation of 
sinners. " A Baptist minister, preaching in the next town- 
ship, north, brought, on the 4th of May, twenty-two con- 
verts down to Pratt's mill, naar the northern line of this 
township, to be immersed. Notice spread far and wide and 
it was said that 1500 persons were present to hear the ser- 
mon on immersion and see so many go down into the water. 
The succeeding week, the people lost sight of convictions 
and conversions to discuss the mode of baptism. The Epis- 
copalians, occupying our church the following Sabbath, we 
worshiped in the woods, where one of the sermons contained 
this paragraph, ' Ever since the 11th of March converts 
have been coming to our knowledge, two, four, six and eight 
a week. No week in all this time has passed without con- 
verts till the last. The past week we have not heard of one. 
Those who have steadily attended the inquiry meeting are 
nearly every one with hope. They will soon leave for the 
church and the inquiry meeting will be deserted. Must the 
•evival stop here?' An appeal followed, urging the people 
;o turn their attention back from matters of minor impor- 
tance to the salvation of the soul. Eeformers had not, at 
tliat day, so undermined confidence in preachers, but that we 
could be believed and obeyed when we spoke the will of 
God. Right there among the trees, the pious obeyed and 
turned their hearts to God, and James Mead and Chester 
Wells, men about forty years of age, were brought under 
conviction that very day. There being no more discussion, 
the revival went oh as before. A sermon one month later 
has the following paragraph, ' four weeks ago this day-j 
many things seemed to tell me that the last drops of the 
shower of grace were falling. So far as I could see, men 
were fast returning to the world. But again the inquiry 
meeting was filled and sinners have continued to fall before 
the power of God. Now suppose that Sabbath had beeii 
the end of the revival, what an amount of good would have 
been lost! Where would have been the souls that have 
since been born again?" The people being less wise than 
in 1828, these things and all I could say did not turn back 
the current in the community. It is much easier to put in 
obstacles which will throw the train off the track than to set 
it back again. It is much easier to throw the apple of dis- 
cord among a people than to take it away from them. 
Nothing is more agreeable to Satan and the depraved heart 
than that which will divert the mind from the great object 
m the day of revival. While we can offer no excuse for 
grieving away the spirit, we shall find most of the statistics 
2 • 



10 FORENOON. 

of this discourse will reveal the goodness of God in granting 
us a year of the right hand of the Most High. No previous 
revival vi^as so universal in town, but two otliers extended 
more to all parts of the congregation and brought twice as 
many into the church. 

This is the twenty-fifth time, I have collected these an- 
nual statistics from a great variety of persons; and stranga 
as it may seem, I can think of but six persons vv'ho have 
refused me their aid. One year ago, two refused to give the 
amount of their liquor sales, and the questions sent to the 
College Faculty for the number of students in 1850 and the 
number of professors of religion, were not answered. The 
numbers at their boarding house have now been obtained; 
bu^ fhes questions sent to the clerk of their church for the 
number of the Sabbath school and church in the township, 
owing to the opposition of members, were not answered. I 
will not censure the w^hole for vv'-hat may be the fault of a 
part; nor allow myself to think that these long tried College 
professors, or the majority of their church, would not do 
such a favor. I w^ish to reprove those who have caused 
these failures vv^ithout hurting the feelings of a single one of 
the more generous. Not merely to get favors next year; fof, 
becoming tired of this laborious gathering of facts, I may 
never repeat it. And not for the loss to this serm.on, for, 
had you generously furnished your part, courtesy would have 
excluded a part of its matter. But, I hate to feel that yqu 
or any body will deny so small a favor. You should furnish 
the numbers, 

1. Because, influential men in your College and church 
have expressed themselves in favor of the moral tendency of 
these statistics; and once a proposition was made to join me 
in them, which I did not refuse in case you would furnish 
half of the materials. 

2. Because, you would remove the apprehension that 
close communion, when carried out, wdll be a complete papal 
nonintercourse between you and other sects. 

3. Because, my printed sermons will shovs^ that no invidi- 
ous use is made of your numbers. Your Sabbath schools 
and church are not reported separate from others, but added 
to the whole number of scholars and members in the town- 
ship. 

4. Because, it is easy for you to furnish them. 

5. Because, you, like us, often want favors. Only one 
being in the universe is above dependence, and He is not 
above doing favors. Mj hearers paid to your old meeting 
house, $309; to the new, $228; and to your College, $531. 
At least f 1,068. (Do you ever pay back any thing?) The 
sum to the College was regarded as important, if not essen- 
tial to its coming to this place. Is it too much, to let them 



FORENOON. 



11 



annually hear what proportion of the students are professors 
of religion? Whenever you make improvements, with what 
face can you send your solicitors among a people for whom 
you will not do as much as this? For a quarter of a cen- 
tury, I have enjoyed a very happy intercourse with ten or 
twelve ministers, v/ho successively have occupied your pul- 
pit. Knowing that I was posted up on facts and history, 
they have often asked for things in my possession — (not 
half so often as I wished.) My studies have been inter- 
rupted a hundred times to furnish from my library, or brain, 
aid to the pursuits of the students. I make no righteousness 
of these things. Any decent man would do as much, I 
shall continue them, whether you give numbers or not. In- 
deed, as I grow older, I hope to grow more, accommodating. 
Three weeks of e}diausting labor once prepared a new 
year's sermon, from which I furnished a Baptist with the 
leading statistics. I w^as told he made them turn the vote 
which brought the College to Granville — a great advantage 
to you. If those statistics were never exhibi'ted in the body 
that located the College, the mere fact that ;:they were fur- 
nished at request, should make you ready to furnish the 
numbers I ask. 

THE MATERNAL ASSOCIATION 

Has failed in two monthly meetings. 

THE BIBLE 

Is possessed by every family in the township. The lectures 
have been on the last eleven chapters of Exodus. 

SABBATH SCHOOLS, 

In the Methodist, Welch Methodist, Welch Baptist, Welch 
Presbyterian, Episcopalian and our Church, (without reck- 
oning the Baptist school,) number 438; 168 between the 
ages of 6 and 21 attend no Sabbath school. Our Sabbath 
school has 140 scholars marked punctual, contained in 12 
classes of males and sixteen of females embracing 237 
scholars. Adding 35 in the infant school, our .whole num- 
ber is 272. Every lesson has been committed to memory 
hy 132—69 more than m 1851. 



Moses Goodricii, 
Warren Ro;:e, 
Martin Luther Root, 
Elam Farlr.er, 
Albert Little Bancroft 
Isaac Davis, 
Francis M. Philbrook, 
Geo. Bradford Wliiting 
Samuel Dilley, 
Daniel Ros'e, - 
William Rose, 
.Alfred M. NicoU, 



Warner Devenaey, 
Albert Everett, 
Thomas Henry Biead, 
John Goodrich, (till he 

died,) 
Luther Rose, 
Asa James Moore, 
Edo-ar Wright, 
Srnith xWoore, 
Cyras Williams, 
George Little, 
Wm. Thompson Little,, 



Henry Little Everett, 
Edwin V/right, 
Anson Ackley, 
Lucy Helen Wright, 
George Thomas Jonesj 
Leonard Bushnell, 
William Wright, 
Lester Clemens, 
Francis E. Wright, 
Edward Wright, 
Frederick Woodruff", 
Mark Hi liver. 



12 

Mary Abbott, 
Maltha Sarah Bancroft^ 
Emily Devenney, 
Laura L. Goodrich, 
Ann Matilda Griffith, 
Jane Amelia Griffith, 
Sarah Linn, 
Caroline Parry/ 
Sarah Frances Parry, 
Saraantha Wright, 
Hannah Goodrich, 
Amelia Bancroft, 
Julia Linn, 

Mary Melissa Bancroftj 
Lydia Carrel, 
Malvina Hiliyer, 
Mary Anna Walker, 
Angeline Walker, 
Philena Rose, 
Harriet Twining, 
Selma Rose, 
Orlinda Moore, 
Mary Fuller, 
Emeliue Plillyer» 
Susan Mower, 
Harriet Abbott, 
Lucy Emeline Griffin, 
SamanUia E. Bailey, 
Mary L. Whiting, 
Ann Eliza Robertson, 
Ruhamah Barrett, 
Ellen Devenney, 
Julia Abigail Bancroft, 

One class of ten good girls was perfect, or they had per- 
fect mothers. Every one was punctual every Sabbath and 
learned every lesson. Eight of the infant school failed np 
Sabbath to say a verse. 

Caroline Stevens, ] William Bancroft, L Edward P. Linnell, 

Henry M. Wright, [ Emma Griffith, Amanda 0. Wright, 

Alva A. Walker, | Theodore Wright, 

The school has spent the year on the catechism illus- 
trated by Baker's questions. The 107 answers have been 
repeated at once without missing- more than two words by 
Mary Melissa Bancroft, Sarah Bancroft, Hannah Goodrich, 
Laura Lavina Goodrich and Lucy Little. 

TWENTY-FIVE SCHOOL TEACHERS, 

All but four, profesfors of religion, are within a mile of 
this place instructing 572. scholars, 22 more than last year. " 
At the commencement of the fall term, Mr. R. A. Sawyer 
succeeded Mr. E. C. Scudder in the male Academy, which 
has had during the term 68 different scholars, of whom 10 
are professors of religion. The Episcopal Seminary has 
had the past year 169 different scholars, of whom 30 ob- 
tained hopes in the revival. The female Academy has had 
189 different scholars, of whom 36 obtained hopes and 46, 
are professors of religion. The College, three Academies^ 



FORENOON. 

Lucy Little. 
Melancthon R. Wright, 
Mrs. Silence Stark, 
Mrs. Nancy Wood, 
Mary Eliza Merriman, 
Emma Rose, 
Margaret Jane RodgerS; 
Lavina L. Worly, 
Olive Stark, 
Harriet Maria Wood, 
Mary Jane Bailey, 
Mrs. Marion B. Griffith, 
Elizabeth Griffith, 
Eunice Little, 
Mrs. Minerva Carter, 
Jane Fuller, 
Harriet Statira Cluff, 
Lucilla Linn, 
Matilda Rose, 
Catharine McBride, 
Sarah Ann Wright, 
Agnes Eliza Howe, 
Anna Baker, 
Helen Abbott, 
Martha Hobert, 
Austa Lavina Foote, 
Maria Jane Mower, 
Hannah Davis, 
Anna R. Davis, 
Clarissa Rose, 
Lucy W. Baneioft, 
Phebe R. Moore, 



Harriet Prouty, 
Ellen Belinda Carrel, 
Rebecca Carmichael, 
Laura Carmichael, 
Harriet I. Whiting, 
Lydia Baker, 
Clarissa E. Bailey, 
Emeline Rose, 
Lucetta Carmichael, 
Sarah Carmichael, 
Caroline Linnell, 
Jane Hannah Mead, 
Lois Pratt, 
Louisa Pratt, 
Deborah Fuller, 
Martin Loy Barrett, 
Julia Ann Hiliyer, 
Angeline Robinson, 
Laurinda Woodward, 
Malvina Graves, 
George Wright, 
Eve Williams, 
Ann Morgan, 
Mrs. Deborah FulleTp 
Mrs. Chloe Rose, 
Mrs. Lucy Graves, 
Mrs. Lydia Baker, 
Mrs. Hannah Bancroft, 
Mrs. Laura Linnell, ' 
Ellen Caldwell. 
Mrs. Mary NicoU, 
Martha Baker. 



FORENOOW. 



13 



tQwn district, south east district, Lancaster, upper Loudon, 
porth street and Welch Hill, had prayers, last winter, last 
summer and this winter, Centreville, last winter and last 
summer; Columbus, last winter and this winter; Berg, last 
winter, and lower Loudon was prayerless throngh the year. 
The township furnished seventy-eight or more teachers, of 
whom 65 prayed in school. This congregation furnished 
63 teachers, of whom 46 prayed in schooL 



THl PERIODICALS 

Taken by the township are 643; political, 142; religious, 
read by 292 families, 371; religious read bj our connexion, 
259. 

Day Springs, - - - - 
American Messengers, - 
Journal of Missions, - - 
American Missionarys, 
Missionary Heralds, - - 
Moral Reform, - - - 
Anti-Slavery, - - - - 
Maternal, ----- 



New York Observers, 
Millerite, - - - - 
New York Evangelists, 
Oliio Observers, - - 
Central Watchmen, - 
Oberlin Evangelists, - 
Universalist, - - - 



TEMPERANCE 



Lost ground for four years previous to the last part of 1851, 
in which we consumed 3,360 gallons of spirits, 41 of wine 
and 2,755 of beer. In 1851 the spirits were 1,406 gallons; 
1,924 less than in 1850. The wine is 3 gallons more and 
the beer and ale 1,838 less. Intemperance would be nearly 
banished did the law provide something better than a pe- 
cuniary penalty which cannot hurt the most of those who 
make drunkards. The Granville division of the sons of 
temperance has died a natural death. The lower tavern has 
fallen into hands who have stopped the sale of spirits. 
Mr. Granger, the proprietor and keeper of the Hotel, though 
his license was not out for months, stopped the sale of all 
that intoxicates on the 3d of March. In the vote on the 
Constitution, the township gave 283 votes for License, Noj 
and 2.1 for License, Yes. 



TPIE SABBATH 



Is not openly violated by 1,327 adults, 89 more than a year 
ago. Still some love to show their Sabbath breaking by 
sitting about in public places, or collecting dens of kindred 
spirits in private rooms. 

PASTORAL, VISITAXION 

Makes it my duty to visit all the families that regularly 
visit me on the Sabbath. I have visited 176 families. 

FAMILY WORSHIP 

Is sustained in the township by 231 of the 408 families; 53. 



14 FORENOON. 

more than last January. Of this 231, 112 worship in this 
house, 15 more than last new year. The town has 171 
families — 101 praying families, 32 more than last new year. 
Our church have in town 43 praying families, 11 more than* 
last January. 

SOCIAL WORSHIP 

Is sustained in seven meetings. The monthly concert, Sab- 
bath and Wednesday conference, Centreville prayer-meeting, 
maternal association, town and academy female prayer meet- 
ings. The hope meeting and convert's male and female 
prayer meetings were held once a week through the three 
spring months. 

SACKED MUSIC 

Has been taught 24 evenings to adults and 24 Saturday af- 
ternoons to 125 children, of whom all but two learned to 
sing. Fifty singers punctually sit in the choir, who, with 
three or four exceptions, are now in the church. In the 
revival, they often numbered sixty and the style of their 
music rising with their religious emotions, often overpowered 
such as have ears for- sweet sounds. 

PUBLIC Vv'-OF.SHIP 

Is attended by 1,345 adults — 101 more than before the revi- 
val. I have failed to fill no appointment from ill health for 
15 years and for as long, I am not aware that the pulpit has 
been vacant a Sabbath. In 1850, I preached twenty-fanr 
sermons on the attributes of God, and in 1851, sixteen, on 
other parts of the divine character. 

No 44. General Proof of the Trinity, 

45. Humanity of Christ, 

46. Christ superior to man, 

47. His Supreme Divinity proved 

by Divine ISames, 
48. By Lis Attributes and 

Works, 
49. By the Worship paid to 

him, 
50. By the Character of hi 

Friends and Foes, 

THE CHURCH 

Contained in the seven leading sects, cannot be numbered, 
as we have not the Baptist numbers. The whole number of 
professors of religion in the township is 722 and there are 
47 apostates; leaving 797 impenitent adidts, of whom 101 
were baptised in infancy. Our church numbers 

Unconverted adult children in the 1 Our youngest, Lucy W. Bancroft 15 

township, "53 | Males, 126 

Infant Baptisms, 22 I Females, 246 

Adult Baptisms, 12 | Within the township, 317 

Our oldest member is Elias Gil- Witliout the townsliip, 55 

STuan, a^ed 81 Youth in the Cliurcii, 91 



No. 51. Objections to the Divinity'of 
Christ, 

52. The Holy Ghost, 

53. Predestination. Introduction, 

54. Explanatioi., 

55. Objections, 

56. Difliculties in rejecting it, 

57. Proved from Pieason, 

58. Proved from Facts, 

59. Proved from Scripture. 



FORENOON. 



15 



Male youil), IS I The number, Inst January, was 316 

Members not worshiping v, ilh iip.'JI | 'I'h-^ l'iiiii. excceclmg the loss 56, 

Loss,l)y diymissiLinS; by doatii ! : 1'3 j n is jiow ■ 372 

Gain, by letter 12, liy proles- ^ I 

sionSG; 68 j 

Most of the 24, who have not worshipped with us once 
a .month, are intinn, or living without the limits of any 
sister church. 



Mindwell Graves, 
Polly LLimpson, 
Cindcrilla Case, 
Ashley A. Bancroft, 
Samuel W. Rose, 
Polly Wells, 
Mary Ann C. Johnston 
Erixeua Phelps, 



Rachel Gilman, 
Mary PiLtsford, 
Samantha Clark, 
Anna Pratt, 
Ann Jones, 
Fanny Wright, 
Ezra Holoomb, 
Phebe Bancroft, 



Henry C, Mead, 
Lucetta Derby, 
Almene Conklirt, 
William R. Dodge, 
Susan Little, 
Emma K. Little, 
Mary Dibble, 
Mary J. Johnson, 



The eight, dismissed to other churches, are 



Sarah G Tucker, 
Statira Andrews, 
Emily Palmer, 



Mary Dodge, 
Erarna Biockway, 
Mercy Fassett, 



Mary Jane Bollinger, 
Joseph S. Thrall. 



Omitting one with a returned letter, the received by cer-. 
tificate will be 11, 



Harriet B. Clemons, 
Charles W. Gunn, 
Elizabeth Gunn, 
John F. FoUett, 



Fidelia FoUett, 
Austin FoUett, 
Sally Follett, 
Jane Hopkins, 



Slannah Clark, 
Strong Clark, 
J. G. Irwin, 



There were many promising converts under 15 years of 
age. Fourteen of the 56 received are males; ten are 13 
years of age; seven 16; seven 17; five 18; seven 19; three 
20; four 21; two 22; two 23; two 25; one 29; one 31: one 

32j one 35; one 40; one 48 and one 49, 



Aliraham Walker, 
Ebenezer Partridge, 
Henry Clay Page, 
Griffith Griffith, 
Henry K. W. Barrett, 
Francis M. Carter, 
William A. Hutson, 
Walter L. Clemons, 
Rollin A. Sawyer, 
George T. Jones, 
Martin L. Barrett, 
Lorenzo E. Skinner, 
William Vandervoort, 
Mary Partridge, 
Harriet M. Wood, 
Mary W. Atkinson, 
Josephine Barrett, 
Eunice P. Thrall, 
Helen Abbott, 



Maria F. Mo\ver, 
Jane J. Wells, 
Laurinda \¥oodward, 
Martha Flobart, 
MnrgaretJ. Rodgers, 
Elizabeth J. Little, 
Elizabeth Prouty, 
Olive Prouty, 
Sarah Wright, 
Lu cilia Linn, 
Matilda Rose, 
Matilda W. Whiting, 
Anna Baker, 
Sarah M. Wilson, 
Ann Daniels, 
Julia Ann: Hillyer, 
Louisa V. Philbrook. 
Mary E. Merriman, 
EUzabeth A. Bancroft, 



Ellen B. Carrel, 
Qaroline E. Linnellj, 
Lovma King, 
Orlene F. Wells, 
MaryL. Babb, 
Mahala Skinner,, 
Ann R. Davis, 
Mary Evans, 
Mary Ann Daris, 
Phebe R. Mootc, 
Amanda A. Clark, 
Mary B. Fosdic, 
Lucy W. Bancroft, 
Agnes E. Howe, 
Florilla King, 
Rebecca Carmichael, 
Clark Fuller, jr., 
Estella S. Bancroft, 



This church has seen four good days. In one day of 
1828, 46 were received to the church; in one of 1832, 67', 
in one of 1837, 74; and in one of 1851, 50. The last was 
Thursday the fourth of September, at the time of the meet- 
ing of Presbytery. There was a lull attendance of members 



16 FORENOONc 

and the exercises of the first two days were interesting. Oil 
Wednesday evening, was the concert closing the children's 
singing sch6ol. The seats of the choir were occupied by 
125 of them and the rest of the house above and below waS 
so full that many stood around the windows on the outside. 
By the time they had sung fifteen or twenty pieces, the au- 
dience were highly excited, if not electrified. Rev. H. 
Little and Rev. A. Duncan put forth their best efforts at 
animated address, to sustain the emotion which had been 
raised. The audience retired delighted and enraptured witH 
what the voices of children are able to accomplish. Thurs- 
day morning, our streets were filling with strangers and the 
forenoon exercises deepened interest and increased solemnity. 
By one o'clock, the lower part of the house was filled with 
communicants and the gallery with spectators. After sing- 
ing " Ye men and angels! witness, now," I read Dr. Coo- 
ley's letter which produced a thrilling effect. His having 
organized this church out of his own; his allusion to touch- 
ing incidents in our history; his expressions of continued 
interest in his western children; his salutations to the 
church, the Presbytery and the young converts, and espe- 
cially his promise to hold a sympathizing meeting the same 
afternoon, were so apostolical, so appropriate and so raelt- 
ingly affectionate that few hearts could remain unmoved. 
Though we cannot now enter into the spirit of that day, the 
letter is worth a second reading. 

"East Granville, Aug. 25, 1851, 
M)j dear friend and Irother: — I return you my sincere thanks for the. 
invitation you have given me to be present with you on the first Thursday 
in September next. I can think of no occasion, on this side of the heav- 
enly rest, in which I should take a more deep and delightful interest, 
than to see the company of yuung converts in your congregation come out 
from the world and subscribe with their hands unto the Lord. "Who ai'e 
these that fly as clouds and doves to their windows?" With some hop^s 
that I might be with you, I prepared a sermon for the occasion, but th'e 
feeble health of my dear wife seems to be an indication of Providencei, 
that I cannot be with you. May the Lord be with you. From the day in! 
which we organized the church of which you are Pastor, and from the 
painful day, when the pilgrims bade us farewell, amidst the prayers and 
tears and benedictions of parents and friends, we have watched the dir 
vine dealings with you with mingled emotions of anxiety, gratitude and 
joy. The company, with one of our most active deacons at their head, 
comprised a part of our church who were distinguished for intelligence 
and spirituality, the best portion of our choir of singers, and not a few of 
our industrious and virtuous citizens. From year to year, we have dis- 
missed and added numbers to your communion. It is grateful to add that 
these losses, though painful, have been in some measure repairea, by the 
heavenly refreshings which we have enjoyed. It is equally grateful to 
add also, that our loss has been the blessed means of erecting the standard 
of the cross in the centre of your State, and of extending the borders of 
Zion. The pilgrims began right. Said Judge Rose in a letter, "the first 
Sabbath after our arrival, it was notified that we should hold a meeting in 
the woods, where there were not a dozen trees cut down, and to my aston- 
ishment there assembled 93 precious souls." It was stated to me, at the 
time of my visit with you some seventeen years ago, that worship on the 
Sabbatl had neve» been inteimitted in a single instance. It has given utf 



FORENOON. 



17 



^TTeat consolaUon to liedr that you have not been passed bv in the precious 
and refreshing visitations of the Holy Spirit. The wdnders of Disrme 
ffi-ace which were displayed among you at the commencement of the year, 
have led us to exclaim " wliat hath God wrouglit?" You speak of bap- 
tism of infants as one portion of your services Thursday. 1 have sec» 
the special blessiiTg of God upon 'this divine ordinance. 1 can speak of a 
whole fanriUi of nini' children in 'heaven. I baptised them in infancy. 
They passed o'ff, one after another, in early life, leaving consoling eri- 
dence, that to die was gain. Other e^'idence in point, my ministry of 5S 
years has furnished, in abundance, of the covenant faithfulness of the Al- 
mighty. And i'f this should be my last opportunity, dear brother, of ad- 
dressing vou; permit me to charge you most earnestly to exhort believing 
parents to bring their children early to baptisrij. Present my affectionate 
and chrisiiau salutation to the church, and to the cmnpany of young con- 
verts in your congregation, and accept the same for yourself and for th« 
brethren in the niiVmnry who maybe present with you. " The Lord ble»B 
you ar.d t.eep you." Though absent, 1 shall be present v/ith you in 
spirit, I shill call a ineetiiig of our church'to be attended on Thursday 
afternoon, September, 4th, and may our supplications and penitential 
confessions meet at the ■same throne of grace through the atoning blood of 
'the Redeemer. And may we all meet at last, 

"Where congregations ne'er break up, 

Aud Sabbatlis have no end." 
-1 remain y-our lirotlier in the bonds of the Gospel, 

IlEv-. JAC03 Little. TIMOTHY M. COOLEY." 

This was a happy introduction to an occasion of high 
a,nd solemn intei'est. The candidates now came into the 
broad aisle, filling it from the communion table to the front 
<loor. Though they had read and asserted their belief in 
the articles of faith before propounding, they were now read 
and explained. The 13 baptized were shov^^n what they 
expressed by receiving the rite, and the rest, how they 
owned their baptism- in now professing their faith in Christ. 
All were then shown wdiat they promised God and the 
church in adopting the covenant. The church, by standing, 
spoke the receiving clause, and seats were found for the new' 
members a^Daong the coram-unic?nts. An address was made 
to the parents of ten children who were dedicated to God 
by baptism. The oldest member of Presbytery, with ut- 
terance indistinct from emotion, offered the next prayer. As 
brethren proceeded to the communion service, the voice often 
trembled and paused from deep feeling. When the closing 
doxology was sung, the additional strength of strangers. 
Presbytery and new members reminded 'its of the grand 
chorus which will be sung "unto Him that sitteth upon the 
throne, and unto the Lamb forever and ever." 

The revival not only added members to the church from 
without, but from within. Some members are different from 
what they were before. Much bitterness has passed away, 
and there is more harmony than has existed since 1835. 
Granville felt the propriety of Thanksgiving day and at the 
suggestion of the Episcopal clergyman, the Intelligencer 
published the agreement of citizens to close their shops and 
the day has never before been so universally observed. 



18 



FORENOONo 



CONTRIBUTIONS. 



Obferlin College, - - - - - -----fg 

A meetinghouse in Indiana, ...... ^ jg 

Colonization Society, ---•---.-. 25 

Christian Union Society> - - - - -- .- . ^g 

American Education Society, - . -- -- . - . 44. 

Bethel .Society, --------- 50 

American Tract Society, -----..- 59 

American Missionary Society, 55' 

American Sunday School Union, .-,---. 34 

Female Academy, (Legacy of Mrs. Cook,) - - - - 150 

American Home Missjonary Society, - - - - - 153 

Am. Board of Missions. J. S. Thrall', Rev. A. A. Sturges, his -wife and 190 

Total, - - - - - - - - $898 

Female Academy o"4ved last January, - - . . 2,925 

Eeduced in 185], - ... ' . - .. - . 175 

Debt still remaining, - - - - . . - 2',750 

J,meric.an Board, the last five years, - . _ 1,088 

American Missionary Society, the last five years, - - 319 

Both of them, the last five years, - . . . 1,407 

Am. Board the five years previous to '42 - - - 1,773 

Thus missions have lost by -division, ... 355 

We gave to foreign missions, in '40, - . - . 4.0O 

We gave to foreign missions, in '50, - - - - 237 

Benevolence has lost by division, - - - - 163 

And all that we are now more able to give than v.-e were ten years ago. 
THE VICKS, 

In spite of the revival, still retain 30 dfinking families, 177 
praj'erless families and 191 that read no religious paper. 
We have consumed 1,406 gallons of spirits, and have 168 
children Avithout the Sabbath school; 188 Sabbath breakers; 
111 drinkers; 170 neglecters of public worship; 133 swear- 
ers; 41 card players; 55 dancers and 324 consumers of to- 
bacco. The consumption of spirits "has diminished 1,P64 
gallons; drinking families, 22; pi'ajerless families, 66; famiilies 
reading no religious paper, 55. The devotees of the vices, 
generally, have diminished the past year. At the close of 
the revival, with one exception, the owners of our six stores, 
the keepers of the post and telegraph oiiices, the magistrates 
and town council vvere supposed to be christians, and there 
was not a rich man in tovvai, nor a dozen worth a thousand 
dollars, who were without hope of having passed from 
death to life. Public sentiment was never so ready to sus- 
tain the authorities in suppressing every vice and disorder. 
For years our place has been disgraced by the nocturna 
disturbances of a few trifling young persons. The fining 
of three and sending four to jail has given the town a de- 
gree of order which it has not experienced for a quarter of a 
century. 

As we retire from the house of God, let cur hearts be 
filled with gratitude that we have been spared another year, 
and that i\. has been a "3 ear of the right hand of the Most 
High." Omniscience has examined our lives infinitely more 
correctly and minutelj^, and seeing all our sinsj demands im- 
mediate repentance and reformation. 



TWENTY-FIFTH NEW YEAR'S SERMON. 



AFTERNOON. 



PSALM LXXVII, in. 
/ will remtmhtr the years of the right hand of the Most 
High. 

It was assumed in the former part of the day, that a year 
of revival was a "year of the right hand of the Most High," 
A large portion of the forenoon exercise was an account of 
the revival of 1851. Besides practically noticing the facts 
detailed in the forenoon, it is my custom to discuss at length 
some point involved in the history of the past year. It was 
the " Free Church" in the 1850 sermon. The reasons why 
New School men should not makb another division in the 
family of Christ, are growing stronger and stronger, as slave- 
holding members are diminishing and anti-slavery action is 
becoming more decisive. Many more New School judica- 
tories are behind the times on temperance than on anti- 
slavery. If anti-slavery should lead some from the church; 
tem.perance should others, and the rest of the christian graces 
should lead off others till there is not a man in the church 
this side of perfection,. The reasons of that sermon should 
have still more weight with Congregationalists who sustain 
only neighborhood relations to the Presbyterian church. 
Our religion does not require us to move away, or refuse all 
neighborly intercourse, because some things in their families 
are not as they should be. The argument last January was 
a^gainst indolent postures of prayer. Neither fashion, cus- 
tom, nor time, can make it right, respectful, or reverential, 
for persons in health to address the Majesty of heaven sit- 
ting in their seats, or lying in their beds. As the church is 
the highest institution, and prayer the highest duty, it is 
not strange that Satan should wish to put out these two eyes 
of religion, by thrusting division into one and drowsiness 
into the other. The subject claiming a place in this dis- 
course and involved in the history of 1851, is, the time 
which should elapse between conversion and profession. 
Som.e sects do not pretend to wait till men are born againj 
before they receive them to the communion. They, who 
believe regeneration to be a prerequisite, differ widely as to 
the time necessary to gain evidence of it. While such are 
tha ever varying circumstances of society and the subjects 



20 AFTERNOON. 

of grace, that no universal rule can be fixed, yet there cart 
be some general principle of action. Before leaving New 
England, my opinion was made up against hasty admissions, 
which was strengthened by seeing what western churches 
suffer by the practice. The first convert after m}^ arrivfJ in 
1827, was a daughter of Captain Chester. Ke wished to 
have her received immediately into the church. I felt com- 
pelled to give him my reasons for delay. When converts 
began to multiply in 1823, I felt it my duty to take a public 
stand. At the clo^zs Ol pirjlic worship one Sabbath, I gave 
reasons why noa? ought to be examined till the third, nor 
received till the fourth month alter conversion. Some were 
shocked, and some trembled for consequences; but such was 
the v/eakness of our cause and the gaod state of feeling, 
that none opposed. During nine revivals in 24 year5, we 
have in no case-proceeded faster than the above named period, 
and lately not so fast. In 1S40, the subjects vvere converted 
ia January and received in April, In 18-13, they v/ere 
converted in April and received in September. In '47 thej 
were conve:';cd ia the spring and received m October. ' tn 
1S51 they \;- "':?d beibre the 13th of March and re- 

ceived in S: . The majority now believe that we 

receive fast enough, and this belief is especially strong 
when we have cases of discipline. But when a proselyting 
spirit seizes the fruits of a revival, some think that we are 
not only iiinocent of the common failing, but are on the op- 
posite extreme. There might be-such an extreme, and v/e 
should not be too slow because others are too fast. Did the 
interests of religion permit, it would be much easier, and 
our accessions would be much larger, to admit as fast as 
men begin to hope, rather than to wait, v*'atch over and in- 
struct them three or six months. Published accoujits of 
revivals are often as follows: " We had a protracted meet- 
ing, during which, at the close, or the Sabbath after, we 
received 20, or 50, to the church." Is this the way to 
build the church with such materials as the exigencies of 
the times demand? As it comes up every revival, I will 
notice the arguments in favor and against hasty admissions. 
It is argued in favor, 

I. We may he deceived if we do ivait. 

An artful man can deceive us at the end of three, or six 
raonths. This argument is based on the ground that Vv'e have 
nothing to fear but designed deception. Our great danger 
arises from the self deceived. We do not pretend that any 
such period as six months will detect every false hope. 
But facts show that it is time enough to reveal not a few 
stony ground kearers. While it is possible to wait too lon^, 
and while no waiting will make a perfect church; it is 
vastly important to keep out the ungodly whose ch&racter 



iiPTERNOON. 21 

^■{■i 1 be c' \ploiod in n. few monll s. One bid man in the 
vh ucli di 5, I 1 ) 1 n h)n (u uiik' o </ of it. 

n [nicii cl oi on i Iih joi converts. 

M -^ \ ' I ^ , oi Ihi 1 ' \ ou thfjw them into 
tae 1 ' 1 1 (' 1 ( e /o you take thern 

ba^k 1^ tint \ (■ depiUv. them of the at- 

te 1 cesiary to their spiritual growth, 

i 1 e ' ii hopes, and never 

II h ' i !i 1 i ^5 ^lin credible evi- 

Ln 1 t * 1 ^ Jip lursery than in 

th,. L ' 1 , h c tib have their hop« 

11 ' ] o 1 eetings and leo- 

ii 1 u I to i ^ 1 lOiv path. It is as 

^ ' tn^ *-o 'nth nursery as for 

\u \\^ 1 e=! '^ e they better pre- 

p 1 ( e I c o{ ic. The story of 

ill 1 T L 1 \Vc 01^ 1 err hj too soon 

L i cl 1 ^ 1 L 1 It ioes ccnverts no 

1'^ lat) ^ mo ^ I*^ (, n \vl ^t is implied in & 

i-^ e^D^on i I h^ ) , ''id n t Hei and never wish 

10 joiQ lie chi 1, tne p -^--ini i i i i , ihat they are not 
g^ \ 7 do* 'o lis a sisns, says: "If 

ihe 1 " ^ 01, nh noi, b'^o i e ' e i ' This begs the 

question, by taking it for granted that they kave religion, 
which is the very thing vre wish to- learn by waiting. In 
the day of excitement, two sorts of persons should be guarded 
against, as the poorest judges of piety and the time of ad- 
mission. One of these classes, is at such ? time all zeal, but 
will soon be cut of the social meeting and take lutle interest 
in religion, till the next revival. The other, is a stronger 
partisan for sect than for the kingdom of heaven. I hav® 
been told of a minister in Indiana who regarded all personal 
friends and all v/ho would join his church as christians of 
eourse. 

III. Other sects will get ike converts. 

This is the argument to weigh with the multitude. Noth- 
ing is more disgraceful to christians, or sacriiegiouslto revi- 
vals, than the quarrel which often ari£e.s from hurrying pec- 
pie to the class paper, the wa'.er, conrirniation or session. 
The sect which can out-run, or oat-manage, in this profana- 
tion is regarded as the most successful. In this way, thou- 
sands, if not hundreds of thousands, have been rushed into 
the visible church, as destitute of grace as of all suitable 
instruction. Men are mistaken in the value of that thought- 
less, forward and bold class of materials, who are willing to 
go hastily into this sacred relation. A sound writer says: 
" The persons who are drawn away into other sects, during 
the interval between the supposed conversion and the proper 
time for admission, are those who would be of little value 



22 1 n't Ell NO ON. 

in the church; and then.it is better to Jose one ■ desiratrk 
member of the liodi, than to gather in twotvolves in sheep's 
clothing. The church, that exercises a wise caution and 
receives none to its fellowship till after a reasonable oppox' 
tunity for the candidate to show the permanency of his 
change, may increase its numbers less in a given revival, 
but v.'ill in a course of years gather more of permanent 
strength." Three 'denominations had a revival. The one, 
which struck first, reaped more than half the fruits; and the 
one, that struck next, received two thirds of the rsrnainder; 
and, v/hat may seem a riddle, the third got the most. The 
above named writer thus speaks of receiving multitudes in 
the day of excitement. " A church, th?t has its front door 
so thronged, must have a back door, well opened." Instead 
of this, our church knov\'s no back door, drop practice, or 
waste gate, to slily pass n;U uav;orthy members. The con- 
stitution of our church knows no way but to publicly re- 
reive and publicly expel. While others anticipate us and 
-Tiompel us to receive what they cannot get, or will not take; 
I can hardly in 24 years, think of a valuable member whom 
we have lost by waiting thi-ee or si'; months. On <he 14th 
of March, 10.3 were at tlic hope uiecling. The appliances^ 
sometimes used, might have hrijught them all into the church. 
Who believes that it would have been as valuable an acqui- 
sition as what the church Avill get from that very number? 
So far as our practice creates public opinion (■■^--■'^-■; other 
sects to receive with less has'.e, we have an : We . 

believe ou^ principles will bpp.r f"::^,;]! nation > . rt the 

more time converts rake to ':ink, the more the in- 

terest of our denomination \-. i • uiced. But I am told 

abroad, "you there in Granville are so strong that you can 
wait and tben get your part." How stroi:ig were we in 
1827, v.-hen §200 could not be raised for a half year's salary. 
How strong were we in 1828, v.lien (he fourth of Jaly ball 
broke my windovvs? We have six chuix-hes in this small 
place; and the Baptists have their c )l!ege and ahvajs sev- 
eral resident clergyr.:en, which shows that v/e have materi- 
als enough for competition. . 

ly. Apostolic 'practice,. 

This is a formidable argument; forjthe Eunuch, the Jailer 
and 3000 appear to have been received the day of their con- 
version. The advocates of hasty admissions do not pretend 
to do this; so they should not plead apostolic practice. 
This argument supposes that circumstances do not alter 
cases, and that we must lay aside our common sense, and do 
what holy men have done, whether we are in their position 
or not. One holy man uttered a prophecy; another called 
fire from heaven, and a third struck a sorcerer with blindness. 
These and thousands of the acts of inspired men should not 



AFTERNOON. 23 

'be imitated by those who are neither such men, nor In such 
circumstances. Our circumstances differ from those of the 
apostles in '=e\eial things. 

1 1 he A} osilii, iDcre inspired. 

The fiibt cou\eiis heard the preaching of Christ and the apostles, who 
bound on eirth v\hTt was bound, or approved in heaven. They sowed 
good <^tcd, Tud men had not yet slept to give the enemy time to sow tares. 
Ihe cfl ct f illjwb the cause, the end, therneans, arid the genuineness of 
reMvis the clnnctLi of the preaching. Were all preachers inspired, 
theie «oi Id be bj lew false hopes as to lessen the evils of hasty admissions. 
C50i 10 1CM\ lis Tie picmoted by such preaching and measures, that almost 
erei) h ip( ib "^ound Others hnve half good hopes, and others are mere 
excilLiiieiit i)ioducing no good hopes at all. This led me last winter to 
juul [ labois instrumental in producing the purest reformations. 
) I hint; resulted in genuine revivals, with so few false hopes, 
11 111 "Luld be safejy administered without delay. Inspiration 
,h I tht woik on the day of Pentecost was the work of the Lord, 
I ill ve must wait for time to show whether the work is of 
: i 1 I Lo lid we know that it was purely of God, we should 
, It- "tliesame hour." While inspiration did not detect 
\ 1 ii\ ciiididate, it showed Ananias, Sapphira and others, and 
nci in discerning chta-acter. 

could not easily he counterfeited. 

system commenced, no one was afraid of a bill; but 

II iimst keep detecters. At the pentecost and in the 

1 1 uei, Cornelius and Judas of Damascus, no one -knew ho"w 

tril ii the new religion. Things are now vastly different. We 

1 I ti 1 i^uagc of Canaan from our infancy, and know how a 

I I ( nld ftp], and what are his evidences of piety. Every virtue 

cm Mm giace can be so counterfeited as for a time to escape 

1 \ e not only deceive others, but in the day of excitement, 

ruibehcs, and think we have that, which time will sliow, we 

'( ( ' / I I J, it 01 1 milt 

li !' ) .yr6i ui il b it thiicr ano 1 at ii i nt but 

II n \ I \ c! ij 11 n or m oppo ei t 11^ bcli 1 luid 

I 1 1 1 Miij, p s ifLi r 1 ijt-ie \\ cie ii 1 i 'uiii ltd It id a 

I e loio Utnd 1 ulu h ^ ith t 11 iltii 1 j / 1 lei 1 \e of 
I b m 3c( le ei h )tnc Ui te ei\ th ii w i h imag 

the 1 ape of 1 li n One cbject cl l1 cl i m 
I I the tiuth \\ h n he \ oild i lent mt 1 1 i iv 
1 cr\\\ fioin )U t ic one I mw \ h lIi y 

) sill not 11 (0 1 f 1 1? jii 11, 

in 1 1 11 to lU i' le whit tl e 

I 1 e pectel jf th 11 I id mio battle 

K I f 1 sucJi n el "vat 1 1, n iii> o them c Itn lit ) ido 
1 1 11 c 1 in lite 1 ci I Iiisteil of ii ciel> i n m^^ a 
It IS n CLS 11 lino 3 Miuns opinion to fi id i ciocd 
1> cdrpt a connevion here w e cin h?^ e a eli ins heme 
>i c \\1 eie we would piefei to in .. up oui cl ildi i ^"1 hen 
li e 10 cieeo others iion° \\\ thiiev no^ then cmd dates, 
\ tiling IS controveited a leasonablo tunc must b'= al o \e I those 
islanomgly own then faith i.,. Chiist 
> t Cm ^iianity had no repa-^ation. 
d j^ I 1 nwarci to see the stand, the church vi^as to take in the 

II oi Ind 1 ved no christian Emperors, nor Popes, nor Protest- 
i'low chiistianity has stood 2000 years and we know it ivill 

\\ [iLXf' religion is popular, its titles are as much loved as those of 

nd oflice Where there has been a succession of revivals and 

II non of the community arc professors of religion, it is a mat- 

1 --nd loputaiion to join the church. Granville is emphati- 

ice Most of the iritluential men are in the church instead 

lib If our place has any o1 the aristocracy, or nobility, 

in GUI o'luiches. How different from this was everything in the 



-0 d 

Alo t 
thai li 
•^howt 1 


'i 
I 


Insle il 
li < 1 


, 


101 




t-ten II 


11 


W^b Lf 

2 L 


11 


now 1 1 


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hou 

to C( III 





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cmi 11 


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dot flu 


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24 



AFTERNOON. 



days of Peter ind J( Im 'I lu ir If i Ur 1 aMivbeen laughed to ^rnrn an I 

put to a d) ^nctliil dt I 1 \ 1 s i im n ^le d u]) li i 11 r u ( , \ 1 ue 

the fa'ihinmtlt an 1 ' \ ith t' p tpni s tn n It v s --o di=^ 

gracuful to owutljit Oliiist ljiat\(U I \\ w u n iLintlie 

church w 1 o M LU n ) "^ h u t w u i I i n i is c ufs 

cation and d^nh, is nil d u ii c lum 

utes, as \ e c \n now Itt n h i-i i i \ at 

bapti ui i<=; ^\ n Hi i i I i fl i ' ( f 

hasly adi i ' i i , ij tli ti 11 

gains si t \ 1 u \e 11 e 
da lit;-' 



T!, 

Eli, 

be, 

prcacli'.n,:: ". 
his posili' 
particular, , . 

difFereiU fruiii uiu's, iu,;.t .. 
admissions. Daring l;o be v. 
aaorillis \\-;.: .v.; ;. . . . 
1 r .^ - . ; 

1. I lid \'ii',uuj LiOd. 

I have been asked, Wl^it 
from tlie communion? Wl; 
has given the church any po 
door. Our loth - ^ ^ ' 
lievers have right 
ges sustaining Ihi:, ..... . 

a correct belief and a cl 

requires these thiiiiz ■, 1: 

them. If it tnkes : 

assurance of hone, 

heart? The Bibh^ iv.iiL 

done '-'with the nnderr 

der/"' The • " 

persons ar% 

defin--- ■- 

thp' 

b!e ' 

rnic . : 

er t-i 

hearK ■ ; ■ - 

belie-'. '^"'' 

laid : 

cry XV 

thev, 

to the 

haj, o. -:■ 











: '-■: to 










Paul 








li, 


.1 he 










,- Ins 










i \V^3 










five 










re so 






;';'- \ 


ii 111 
li ILa 


hasly 
u six 


lis in 


fd 


■vor 


ofh 


asty 


; it. 











auf 
he 



:lie\' put ii 
The com 



'i'Tht liave you to keep people 

;i a judge? if God 

! I ! T-; e e jj i ng o f i t s o w-n 

•■ i.oi'c but \isible be- 

' i;i:icli. The passa- 

, bhou'd have piet}',. 

vnce. If the Bible 

io obiain evidence of 

■ .:;ri\e at his own full 

. ,:' 01 his neighbor's 

I '; t iliiiigs should be 

■J; I f :;My and in or- 

: . ''z.yA ignorant 

^ \-f:-.yu,- the 

^. . /:..ei-, or having 

J.scribe. The Bi- 

'^-ten persons to ccm- 

. If Philip had pow- 

i ■ i elieved with all his 

lime tu gain evidence of such 

'\\eaie God's building — I have 

.'.her buildelh thereon. Let ev- 

buildeth thereupon." He says, 

.urch, will be judged according 

J, whether gold, silver, wood, 

mand to "take heed," is an order 



AFTERNOON. ^O 

to take time to select the best materials. No divine com- 
mand is contrary to common sense. If ministers are com- 
manded to put in good materials, they are commanded io 
take time to do it. All scriptures, which direct the church, 
"to come out; be separate;" "unspotted from the world;" 
*' hold fast the form of sound words;" " count the cost;'' and 
"know them by their fruits," prove that persons should not 
be received hastily to the church. 

II. Joining Ike Church is a most solann duly. 

If a mortal "should ever proceed with due deliberation, it 
is when lie takes upon himself the vows of God. It would 
be quite another thing to join a human society, and so it 
would, if v,'e eiuld take the covenant of God' on our lips, 
to-day, and drop it, or be dropped to-morrow. Instead of 
this, uniting with the church is a great and permanent aliair. 
IVo provision is made for retreat; all the armor is for the 
front, and i o le bin Ro le, p cs i es to ab ol e men fiom 
theit orth to God Tiliny en e ihe mOot tho ighllec 1/ into 
the cli iich 3 1 n a i^a^p ichuoi , i /ocoven^'i+o f cm wh.ch 
theie lb no leueit. O the e, the ch uch covenant is the 
mOie p=i u'^iicU'^ The maif. e uuven^jit cid-. ^vi h the 
death Oi o 13 o''th'=' c niple 'I h'^ cLi ch co ^ ^xu i i ^dc 
wi4i Go I ad' p ^p''^, '"ud \ I'l le bipri ^ ^ "> o ^ ^s, 
God r -iJ the so 1 p t. -^hill ■< e i id i p ^ ^ ^ ^ to c / 
this ^\ ^ i" f ^u'e 1 CO-! e an v i ' ojh t u e to c^ i.ei ^ ell 
wh'^i Ji^ 6)^ It lb ah I % Oi (| nt'^ s'^L 'eg-^, to huny tie 
unino*- net uthioi^h sic ed n^es, i liKh the^ la e had 
nei ' -^ ^ e, noi oppoitunuy to coup ch^nd 

ill 1 oci oLO/io ?iiostIy occus t,n 1 i <. '^ 
-H ^ I il en, a'e not no-^ed ' ih^ "j. i it -^ l ^^ ^ ily, b it 
by "^ 1 ^ " 1 y ai d \a 1-. e ^1 ^ i< , a n^ t i ou na- 
tme an ] che i n et^eto ^ o^th'^' mens ad ^ ^ dea 

titute of lehgion, 1 c ^ ° ci^ed and h\ x tii-^is 

With thoi ""al => f 1 e li'^ oh j Li f e '= ii^d c! luu as 

wellaaoiodic thmo-s it c,i e^thdh^ i^^ej diuetcd 
attencioi Bi t, \.hile enot.Du is u"^, lo no i ^ r -> ^eo 
arai^ be'-v een ■i'^ heat and chuf L thde i -> , u 

wi'l le la.n Ull tne e^cuemcu s ' d l r< [ ^ 

be o ' n J ^ ill ^i 1 1 a d ol * 1, i ' ! a ' i u"' i 

teM \ h^ th-^' aie. The ,, tl r- ' i^^ v ti -. ^ci ed 

will st'^nd eloof fiom the "-hL ch Cuttle -^ p o"^ c i , ^ ho 
wish, in the da, ofcoldncbs, f) g t out of the i Id oi ^ l . t, 
because the ' hs aie too ^ti i t loi then, b a lit V n oie 
waiting, v^ould have lemamcd on the Side ol i.Le ^nclo.Mue 
where they properly belong. Vvhen v^-e receive from the 
camp-ground and the protracted meeting, can we avoid taking 
in the " wood, hay and stubble?'^ In the past revival, we 
waited longer than usual, because (lie materials v.ere pro- 
tracted meeting converts. At that time there was scarcely a 



26 AFTERNOd'N. 

breath of opposition, " not a dog moved his tongue," and 
religion carried all before it. Had we opened the door, we 
might have received a large number and some., gold, silver 
and precious stones; but who believes that waiting six 
months, has not kept back much wood, hay and stubble? 

IV. The continuance of reinvals of religion. 

When a good work commeuces, it usually goes on from 
day to day, and from week to week, till stopped by God's 
people. The M'icked cannot Q.x\d God lo ill not sound a re- 
treat. Strange as il; may seem, a revival often stops .at 
baptism or the communion table. At Braddock's defeat, 
Washington led off the beaten forces, when the Indians 
might have butchered the army, had not the foolish creatures 
stopped onthe prey. Hundreds of churches have witnessed the 
commencement of promising revivals. Wlien con'i'eits are 
multiplied, they relax their efforts for more conversions, to 
rejoice over and secure the spoils. The serious and con- 
victed, taking advantage of the cessation of hostilities, re- 
treat to the world, and the victory, well nigh won, is lost. 
Hasty receptions, in a revival, excite curiosity and intro- 
duce disputes on the mode of baptism and other di\-iding 
questions, which put an end to the work. I recollect no re- 
vival, but the o/ie of 1828, when the work was delayed by 
discussion and then went o'l as before. When like that, it 
continues a year, the admission of the older converts, rather 
quickens, than retards. If ever the people of Granville had 
a fair prospect of a complete victory over Satan, it vas last 
March, and converts continued to appear up to ihe very 
time wlien the public mind was diverted. Shall we ever 
again be in such an advantageous position? Could the 
matter of dividing the spoils have been deferred one month, 
how much it would have been worth to Granville! How 
much, to precious souls! I do not lay all the blame on the 
Baptists. One third of our Sabbath School, members of 
ail the Churches, the wicked, the inquirers, serious, half- 
convicted, and deeply convicted were at the water's edge, 
and curiosity and anxiety about the direction converts would 
take, did as much to divert the public mind as discussion. 
While diigh excitement cannot be expected to last always, 
Vv'hata treasure it would have been, to have had tho:ie 25 
golden days not cut short, till they had reached 50! When 
Harrison was elected, the public mind was as much excited 
as it is in a revival of religion, for six months. Should we 
not do as much for religion as politics? A genuine, lasting 
revival is like a summer on vegetation. Plants not only 
spring up but they grow, and twigs, trees, and all the forest 
g 'ow. How dreadful it would be to have frozen blasts bring 
in vrinter and terminate suram.er in June ! While all na- 
ture would suffer, the young and tender would suiter most, 
so in a revival, all Christians grow in grace, and its eari^ 



AlrxKUNOON. ^7 

iermlnation injures all, but more especially young converts. 
How sad to have these plants frozen as soon as they come 
out of the ground ! Minds, turned oft'to discussion, or the 
world, a few days after conversion, will show the sad effect 
in their experience for years. I know the person whose con- 
version, 1 suppose, was the kst of the revival in town. 

v. ilnjlt candidates are ofttn the most forward. 

The seed or stony ground sprung up " anon," or 
forthwith. They who are brought along by-sympathy, pas- 
sion and false hopes, are much more confident and bold than 
those who are rao\ed by the Christian graces. Fie, who has 
seen his own heart and been thoroughly convicted, has too 
great a sense of unworthiness, to rush upon holy rites. _ In 
receiving to this church 557, by profession, a number have 
expressed a wish not to wait our usual time. Could I give 
you their names, it wouM be a strong argument in favor of 
waiting till such religion as theirs, withered away. 

VI. TJie facts of hasty admission. 

Our Pilgrim fathers sau^ so many of these in the mother 
country, that they Vv'ere called fanatics for their caution in 
receiving mem/uers. They instituted the practice of pro- 
pounding, to prevent candidates from being immediately re- 
ceived, even after they were examined. Their caution 
made their churches such specimens of parity as the world 
has seldom seen. We do not need numbers so much as 
graces; quantity so much as quality. Our times demand 
real enldiers of the cross. lianijibal and Alexander did not 
obtaia their vi-tories by numbers, but by the quality of their 
soldiers. \\ lieu Christ entered on the conquest oi the 
world, he did iiot commission an army ot missiorpries as 
large as tiiat of Xerxes, but a dozen choice spiiits. The re- 
formers ]\\ Europe did not accomplish their great work, and 
plaoi the tree of liberty in our soil by nusubers, but by a hw 
men of the right stamp. -Do the largest sects effect the most 
good? What would become of the objects of general benev- 
olence, if they rested on the denominations thai out-number? 
Sects are unstable and destitute of moral power, in propor- 
tion to their rapid admission. In the day of revival, few 
see the evil of admitting thoee, who will be wild, proud and 
graceless; whose business it will be to make trouble. The 
admission of excitable materials, who cannot govern them- 
selves, is not onl^? destructive to the stability and uniform 
piety of others, but their own last state is made worse than 
the first. Great losses by apostasy and discipliiie arise from 
hasty admissions. Receiving too fast caused the Ciiitarian 
apostasy in New England. A report, on the state of religion 
in Mass. to the Old School General Assembly in 1843, 
speaks of those " that adopt the objectionable revival meas- 
ures and practice hasty admission to the church," and says, 
" It has been found by actual examination of statistics, that 



28 



Air ii:.^iriuUN. 



in those ;:■'■!!• :'--aions in New Ecgland which generally 
favor th ■ rible measures, to wit: the Methodists,- 

Baptists iH Baptists, just about one half of th& 

persons ;, ; ■ church, go out by excommunication- 

and that ,■; any laxity of discipline which may 

exist a ., ;.:ie the proporLion excommunicated 

from o!! . i;;:.en buL from ton to twelve per cent."- 

Bu: ,-[■ home. Hasty admissions caused 

tb:' Granville Church in the days of 

Presiii. ; J of this church in the days of Mr. 

Jinks. : :ln:! in ilie Synod of 1828, Dr. Wil- 

son rebc ' : mv vfy>ov': s'lid me, for so slowly re- 

ceiving; ■ • ■[':■.[ y>^:i.-. ill-- rep'X'V slrorigly advo- 

cated ii, /;■'-'■ ■ b'::! car!!p--mG::':!iigs, then 

iu \ year he ad gritted, from 

the (-: '-Jfliy ;.;o'e,-?;ion, more 

than tb I hat year, 

•ad ne-; . , , . the exci- 

ting tb' ^s of i32S bau ■aCincin- 

cinnnb a lady .told me, - : ' . ytbs ago, 

suspended 60 members." lion the 

Doctor and again talk 0' lod. He 

said, o" ''■'-■• -^^ ■' .iNcu iLi :.-.,.-■, one half 

have n^" ' '. uow say they have none. 

He wc: , , ' '-^-b a ^-.-Mess likely ever 

to be convcr'ou. t'. ' een kept out of 

the church.'' ] ' [ .:■ Miami rolled 

over the Scioto; ; iriciids of revivals- 

who would not L' :■'. '^^ii-'.ce that tim^, 

tJie G:f'!ie:arAs>e '^e Church 

in the S\uu)dof C ^lOugh we 

ha ■■ ■ ■ '^ ^ , yns, other 

q:^ : :: ■ : .on's souls. 

Fu; > , '.I ;. V the ship. 

Had XV .vcs/em breth- 

rei!, ■ - ■ ;• ii'b^v-cita- 

b- . .ruse, 

w. . . -uta 

h ■ . ITVaj, ,:v KJ2.4. I 

re^. -'-'''i;? ihe quarter of 

a; , _ . ,: J ■ would I more gladly 

rec - have been too hastily 

ad i better thaii a bad man in- 

sii dead, and we may expect 

hi !_ .' n every qua; ter; but if all 

is b ■ 'a :,d them like a Macedonian 

Fi ..■ A ,■'■•■ '., foundation of this Church 

b; ,,]:■■ :a. ■, .. tv.'elve layers, I warn you, 

vo ■ M. . wani if; ■ saccessors, " Let every maa 

take heed li-jw be buildelh- thereupon." .,.-^ 



Ull A\ 

ll)k C 
ill 111 


r Til im 
(1 to show 


s ud 
nock 11 
I 1 1 

\ 111 11 
f 111 


til } nre 
11 he iuad 

Ilulfonl, 
ic rljurch, 

d((1rine 


II 1 


' pirits, 


1 1 11 


1 r eniia 



AFTERNOON. 29 

llxr '^ Ts no in n<iou 1 (o si indcr it lliis clu 

Qone 1' I III iiiir infill iice'^ 1 nm not ii 

iiud I I iir ii I wi li to show Gnin 

Licl 111 P il III I IS 1 mole L\c( lleni w ly It 

U (1 b\ 111 1 \ 1 Iio^\ Iht y lie mi I 1 i u ' I he\ 1 

th? \en 1 )i II 1 ininci)ih s ol libcM to t the si ut_ liti 
\v ho I ir t I Iv II hiip been the f sL fii n 1 i ( j n lu 1 
<^t-it 1 1 r lIq fiel t the btlli \ 1 1 111 hi I \ I 
>ou m^pd tioin the TiiK I I i". ' ^ n'lP. 

\SI L It tl LU blood 111 L W 11 1 I 1 I I I II 

il iKU^n, hi'se blotted oiu tl M* ii are 

u punripleb 1 1 c scttlLis ol N w ' n Ithtse 

I the eltb i-^ of ^ 1 ^inia disbclitM 1 I pei pis 

fi t ot 1 ' ol Slav ))? TliL, Pilgunis were ]i rdh fr c tl ui^ehLS, be 
fere fl (-) 1 t Tuend to the ISej;io si ivery biDii^iit on thei i by the mother 
countn h thi* foes tithe doctnnes >ou stiurk ou , arr doin a n ^rt^ii 
tliiposloill it iti tip lUst tmip Wo not, om }i\b 1 1\ i but 
Ei?\e \ c\ e 1 I n i)\ 1 fii ltl^e 1 w "s w 1 1 L 1 IS 1 \er\ it r»li 
Sh , 1 1^ ui h om 1 p tte he lit Heed 1 lit will It 1 ( i moM d 

I 1 g the p mc I iLS \ lu h 1 Tvp ^n< i the w nid i h t jiherW 

II 1 

1 125 d-i s "nd i a-^e 1"^ 1 a ^ei i i' 1 11 ni f 

1 TS iioi <Tiid i fault butouis tl o soo i 

1 f n t n d tue q icstion now is ^ jy 

1 f fl m is \\ ill ^n the in^" v^i ,_ i i j^o 

<^oo I 1 (-> pi jii^h ii g jin^ foi the ie\t ciop /lisionldbe 

he 1 t ie\i <1 ^ ilh the i si n i e il at u \/ill 
e leTd Tho e 2j di>o weiL ii^almh'e bit 'a 
th 1-, \ ell lb g1 lite unto 1 1 he s tt'( d ihe 

nlul,^ 1 iei^ ^ e e iiicp i eis \ ho a \ ^ ne^er i\ 
mn 1 \ ish uehcfvou is vere not lerefited 
- if oil hi\e ml a heait m1i i h s bepnma\ed 
C J \ cTo o jld u (. th it ) on i Td lei n a il 

1 a V Ihe thn & Inch beloi ^ nuto ihy peace 
nitliiee^es \ou wiilheie ftcr loj ^ back on 
jt till it mil be fore n loo 1 e 
nhoha\ejoined isthrpist eir now s'nnd fiu 
J 1 c m 11 1 ruido \'' c hope no le \\ill be 1 an I I co«n to p )s 
teiit. ^ lied 1 } cusciphn°, end still nore, 11 at the> \^ill il snnd fair la 
the records on high. 

TsMPEUAx^cE should be sustained by moral suasion and petitions till we 
are protected from aii traffic annoying to morals and relig-on. Let us have 
the Maine law. 

Our. Schools raise the standard of education, and nnnuaiiy bring into 
the place more than ?-.30,0C0. i^U parents abroad should lie made sure 
that our own citizens have moral courage enough to suppress all intem- 
perance, and sustain the authorities in putting down every disorder. The 
ministry suffers unspeakably, because so few of them are well educated, 
and the same is true of every other profession. Every farmer and every 
mechanic, who knows enough to see ignorance, feels the want of a bet- 
ter Education. Let us then remove our Academy debt, and holdup the 
institutions of learning and religion, The man who neglects public wor- 
ship should be taxed for its support double to his neighbors who pay 
half by their attendance. So the man who does not educate himself and 
family, should pay double for such a public blessing as education. When 
the convenience and comfort of attending public worship have doubled, 
it is dreadful to think thatany should give an irregular attendance. A 
large portion of the church do not feel their responsibility to attend aud 
aid the social meetings. He who neglechs them unconsciously makfc* 
eommon cause with him who speaks against them. And when our prop- 
eity is doubling, how sad to do less for foreign missions If every #136 
withheld, withholds one soul from heaven, here is an awful responsibility. 
Are here persons increasing in property who give no more than they di<i 
ten years ago? How will the suras we give look in eternity? What Los- 
don street suffered a few years ago, and what we now suffer by the New- 
ark failure, and the fact that we shall soon be beyond our MSB^y, 
should lead us to givo while we fcave au opportuuity. 



i in Tl 




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80 



AiFTKRJJOeS". 



MORTALITT 
The township has 125 persons over 60 years of age; one in CTery ISj 

Esq. Gilman, aged 87, ia 



61 over 70; one in 38; U over 80; ■ one in 164.- 
the oldest person in the church and towns^hfp. 

Date. Names. Disease. 

Jan. 1, Mary Eliza, d'ghter of Widow Bash, Disease of heart, 

" 6, Allen Siniiet, Typhus fever, 

•' 16, Miss Catharine Hughes, - Disease of heart, 

Feb. 13, Mrs. Chloe Moore, Inflam'tion lungs, 

March 17, Mis. Lucinda Browninj, Canker, 

April 7, Mrs. Laura W. Martin, . Hemorrhage, 

" 18, John Dunlap, Disease of heart, 

" 21, Mrs. Sally Cain, Consumption, 

June 2-5, Mrs. Nancy Blanchard,'' Disease of heart, 

" 29, Leander, son of Vin Browning, Canker, 

July 9, Ephraim H. Farmer, Diarrhea, 

** 11, Mrs. Maiicy Loyd, Consumplion, 

" 13, liiliinL son (if a transient woman, Nesjlect, 

30, r.Irs. Anil Tight, - Fits, 

Angust 2, Mrs. Lodnma Daly, Dysentery, 
" 3, John Goodrich, . Dysentery, 
" 24, idfs. Snsan -Coleman, 
24:, Lorenzo Baker, 



Agk. 

6 m. 
53 y. 
25 y. 
68 T. 
40 J. 
3S J. 
68 y, 
46 y. 
79 y. 

7 m. 
28 y. 
37 y. 

1 m. 
66 J. 
87 y. 
10 y. 



Sept. 



SO, (5eorge Simeon, son of Tim'y Smith, Indigestion, 



Oct. 

Nov. 



12, Rev. Thomas Hughes, 
20, John Sampson, 

28, Evan Evans, 

6, Ann Eliza Jane Spilman, 

13, Mrs. Mary Toloday, 

4, Infant sen of Levi Rose, 

7, [da Ann, daush. of Calvin Dibble, 
27, Alanson He^-rit, 
30, Sarah Beers. 

:': Feb. 1; March 1: April 

. •: Dec. 1—20 :./!,:!;. ;,„ 

ut 19. In r-::'.::7 di-. 

o, 40: '49, 50; 
Four uf our cli 
Cayuaim:,- II 



Cancerous affecti'n, 55 y. 
Consumption, 20 y. 

6 rn. 

66 V. 

45 y. 

38 y. 

11 V. 



Dec. : 

In Jau"- '■ ■' ■■ ' 
Sept. 3: < 
UoG the 

'46,30; -1., -., -.. 
rage for ten years. 

January 16, Miss 
Tert of the revival of 184.0. I req 
young man and woman, 1 could 
class. Tiiey returned 100 signatu 
et;er 14 years of age av ' » -' 
class every evening fc- 
ing Jan. V2ih, 1841. j 
))rayed in an upper roooi, a l;- 
hopeful converts. Her relc 
of a pious mother in Trcnto;;, 
years old. At six, slie sent me ll: 



2 w • 
14 m. 
25 V. 

17 T. 



Disease of heart, 

Cfincer, 

Consumption, 

Typhus fever, 

Hemorrhage, 

Diseased bowels. 

Diarrhea, 

Liver Complaint, 

Ervsipelas, 

: June 2: Julv 4; Aug. 5; 

) :.>!,:;;. ;,,,,| ^^ ciMidrrii; in all 28. la 

■■V:,'!! di-'l; ^4:;, '2S: -11, 25, '45, 23; 

•"oij, 19; '51, 28; making 30 the ave- 

irch liave died. 

en! s, .-iHer! 25 yenrs. She was a con- 

' ■ ' ■■"■ ' ■ ' ■' II, -lit in.! impenitent, 

, '.-,•■ -VACwi Bible 

. ■ '.,.,..'/ the BibU 

■ ■ ■ ' ■ ;:■/ CG^T'nenc- 

. : . . , ii,y churcb 
i liita of iiie chiss, became 
■irch, says: " 1 was born 
lije tiere when I was five 
oi r5;u/i:;aiii school and showed me the 
Lord's prayer, which I learned and have since repeated. I was a long 
time serious and feared that the Lord would cast me off. When I was 
eleven years old, 1 was awakened by Mr. Little's address to the impeni- 
t^int in the gallery at a communion. I thought how I had broken the 
Sabbath, neglected my soul and forgotten the goodness which spared my 
life. I was serious a year, till we removed to Chicago, when I resolved 
that I would defer religion tii.i I was 14 and no longer. Two months be- 
fore the January Bible,class, mother asi:ed ms if 1 neglected prayer. I 
replied that I did when coming from Chicago. She said, it was very 
wicked. This and my other sins troubled my mind till the Bible class, 
■which I did not hear of till the third lesson. Not knowing what seats the 
elass occupied^ I went into the conference room and took my seat with 
them. As soon as I saw rny mistake, 1 thought that I would leave the 
elass, but I feared God v\aiuld punish me for it. I felt very serious that 
evening, tliinking how happy christians %vere, and that my sins were so 
great that they could not be forgiven. Going home, 1 louud the folks 
gone and improved the opportunity in praying God to forgive me. 1 felt 
a little as though he had forgiven some of my sins, but others, I thought, 
Tf»ie so great that he could never forgive them. The next day, I felt 



AFTERNOOI^-. 31 

some- better and coiitimieiHo grow hnppier every day of the Bible class. 
I loved to see christians and hear them pray. I returned to Sabbath 
school, which I had left, and loved it, loved its books and loved public 
worship. I think I liave devoted myself to Christ, and wish above all 
things to live a holy life." She united v/ith the church at 14, was 
sprightly, beautiful and in a few years was very successful in her busi- 
ness of "dressmaking. She became dissatisfied with the church, ran from 
one- meeting 10 another and did other things, peculiar to those on the 
road to apostasy. Instead of listening to the advice of friends, she be- 
came obstinate and would neither do her duty in religion, nor desist fiorn 
excessive toil which was breaking down her constitution. Between two 
and three years before her death, she was dangerously ill foriliree months, 
and deeply repented of her backslidings. Unlike most sick bed repent- 
ances, her life and conversation, ever after, evinced that hers was sin- 
cere. Instead of a reckless manner of talking and acting, she exhibited 
nothing but the lamb and the dove. Everything was humble, amiable 
kind and becoming a young christian. Nothing lay nearer her heart than 
Ure conversion of the family. From a child, she had symptoms of the 
disease of the heart, which increased till death. She often expressed 
gratitude, that she- did not die \n her -first sickness, without time to prove 
the sincerity of'her repentai-ice. She made preparations for death in 
things, both temporal and spiritual. Though the remains of her brother 
were laid in the yard on the. hills, she chose to repose in tJiis burying 
ground. She went aad selected, as her final resting place, a lot next to 
that of the family of her Pastor. -^ In her last sickness, which was less 
than a week, she said she- would not exchange her hope for worlds. 
When asked which she would prefer, to get well or die, she replied, 
"there is no difference." 

February l-S, died Mrs. Chloe Moor-e, aged 68 years. Her maiden 
name was Chloe Case. She was born in Granby, Ct, of pious parents, 
who gave her to God in baptism and taught her the catechism. She was 
married at the age of 25 and removed to this place in 1809. She was a 
convert of the revival of 1S22. Her leading, excellence was tenderness 
to the sick, afflicted and aged. Her father Moore came into the family 
in 1815 and lived till he was 88. The infirmities of his last 20 years, 
were soothed and lightened by the unwearied attentions of his daughter- 
in-iaw. Fler husband, for years coming down to the grave, required an 
amount of care sufficient to exhaust her constitution. She survived him 
in great weakness, two years, and was so despondent that she gave a 
hei-hope. Last wiuier, she was very happy and enjoyed the revival 
before it ca-me. There was no one at the inquiry meeting, the first week 
in the year who was nearer full assu.rance. She read the Bible a great 
deal and said, " It never seemed so good before, I cannot read it enough." 
The lung fever brought her almost to the grave before she v/as aware 
of it. When told of her danger, she said, "I have a God to go to, in 
whom I put my trust." Seeing her youngest daughter weep, she said, 
" don't weep for me, but for yourself. Grve your soul, body and all, to 
God for they are his. The week following her death, there vv^ere more 
converts than any other week in the year. 

April 7, died Mrs. Laura Y/. Martin, aged S8 years. Her maiden 
same was Laura W. Ross. She was born and brought up in Royalton, 
Vt., made a profession of religion in 1831; was married, came to Graa- 
ville and brought a letter to this church, 14 years .ago. Her husband, the 
successful principal of the male Academy five years, died, leaving her 
to be a widow nine years with two small children and an embarassed 
property. She took boarders, taught i-a. Granville and Columbus, and 
exerted herself beyond her strength to keep down interest and redeem 
tiie property. I have been told since her, death, that she kept school, 
during the day, vv'itli an average of fifty scholars, did the house work and 
kept the family wardrobe in order, morning and evening; washed, Friday- 
evening; ironed and baked Saturday, and was deprived of regular rest, 
from her son having two or three fits during the night. They, who have 
felt the suspense, care and anxiety of a teacher and parent, will not 
wonder that her constitution gave way. She was compelled to leave the 
school, and in less than two weeks, sunk into the grave. At first, she 
felt that she could not give up her children, and espeeially the one sub- 
ject to fits, and requested prayers in her room and the house of God for 
submission. These prayers were answered and she said, " I can chew- 



62 .-^ AFTERNOON. 

fuH\ gue tliLin up, I am ready to s;0 an I leave them with the Lord '"^ 
A fiiencl ciiiine; stkI ' \( u iie ver> ^ick " She lephed, ' \(->> almosc 
m iiei tn While \\ e rt, iil\li \or*!t, s^irdled th 1 1 1)\ mstiuctors, 
\\ lie do no< t^l^e 1^11 ns \ ilh om childien, no othr r cli & m Cic-nMlle ^\ork 
so ha 1 f" r fiithti 1 it-i hti 

0"tol^i 11 (■'led ( 0! NtLHis Dl ENNr-i, ag-ed 81 )t'\Lb He \ shorn 
in PeniT^ i 11 went to \ 11 m\ at ^1 \enrs of i^e marnecl d 24 mid 
cin « h 1 at ()1 — 2U \ci t ) Ft hid jtm 11 ii le he il h n( r \ and 
chpcif Ints-; u hich cjiiUnutd I1II li w b 'lu Toie Up h 1 o death 
u h fu il\ lor noie than b If c utniv In hib \ )nth lit 1 1 iled with 



the Lithe an ohiuch w 1 


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'm liinLiii 1 I 1 uL 

piT- li L ir 1 p to th 1 1 I \ tuid thot 

liib 1 1 lh( 1 o the n is^i w n i i hi' -kcted 

} m ( 'pu pi I I 1 Inn t , 11 i sRiel ( \lli 1 Sne 

uiel\'i(iih VI II t I childun fnv 1 )' carlv 

en 11 +lieu f 1 1 Li ob tn 1 i ' I]„ was 

evt t iii"^ iboutiie finvei ion 01 nii, clnldicn e an) 

am It * 1 m , even wliei wctiv aid exliau id 1j the 

mp " f ^p ' One united with the cliLieh at 1 I 1 e al 

1 le at li three at 13 t\ o at i2 ant 1 11 t >s ef 

jTlld Vl'iitwi ironveiiofi-liei ivU it Iml 

J h n 1 2 at 11 I e ol 13 and el is d 1 1 1 ( u t ^ u 

H nil Mil Hic \\ife, the dm hVi of Hon J M t Ik 1 rn -^ 
IS S2 }eais of age, wis a conveU 0' the levi al ct 1^ 2 t 1 vtarscf 
Rge, unt"l with the church at 1 and gndualed it (. aiville^femalp 
A.cadem> at "^0 We do no*^ offei to bod the linie tin biiud m thes 
three )eun!j pcr^oub 

Such is the history of those who have died, or liave gone to die in other 
clia:es. We shall see them again on the morning of the resurrection. 
Till then w'e hid them farew^ell; and I now bid farewell to all of yoii, 
who will not see another new year. Since I became your pastor, 113 of 
this church and 755 of the township, have gone the w\ay of all the earth. 
Many of. them are in fresh remembrance; but how^ changed! Where is 
now Allen Sinnet, Catharine Hughes, Mrs. Martin, John (Goodrich and 
Lorenzo Baker? They are where you and I may be before another new- 
year! Are we prepared for the change which may take place before n 
day — before an hour! Let no time be lost. Let this be the moment 
■when we will abandon every sin and be wholly the Lord's. This first 
Sabbath in 1S52 is the time for resolutions, breaking wrong habits and 
beginning to live with eternity m view. Let ns be ready for the coiaia^ 
of our Lord and this year will also be a "year of the right hand of tke 
Most High." 



